Our waste is increasingly viewed as a resource from which we can extract new value and repurpose as new products. Innovations like curbside pickup of recyclables and “single-stream” recycling collection have nearly tripled collection rates (hovering around 35 percent), and the habit of recycling has become rooted in our society.

But contamination of the waste stream has become a major concern. Materials must be high-quality for the economic model underpinning most recycling programs to work. Some items don’t belong in recycling bins. Yet contaminants continue to infiltrate the recycling stream, diluting commodity quality. This not only makes it harder to continue increasing recycling rates, but also jeopardizes our existing recycling infrastructure.

Read More: http://3blmedia.com/News/SXSW-Eco-Session-Teaser-Video-Recycling-More-vs-Recycling-Right-America-Oct-7

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